Prevent a Fire in Your Home: Tips from the Brecksville Fire Department, CDC

October is National Fire Safety and Prevention Month. Talk to your family about how to prevent a devastating fire in your own home.

Oct. 7 to 13 is Fire Prevention Week, which was established to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire in 1871 that killed 250 people and left more than 10,000 people homeless. In fact, the entire month of October is dedicated to National Fire Safety and Prevention, which is a perfect opportunity to talk to your family about fire safety. Brecksville Fire Lt. Patrick Coleman has plenty of tips for local families for Fire Prevention Week and beyond. Here are some tips from Coleman to keep in mind as the weather gets colder: And, everyone knows the stop, drop, and roll, but there are other ways to prevent a fire in your home. Here are a few more tips, recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: For more fire safety tips and …

• Photos (1)

A Look at the Marc’s Design and A New Firefighter Joins the Department: Week in Review

Catch up on the news this week.

If you missed a story or two this week, don’t worry—you can catch up quickly by checking out the summaries below.

• Photos (1)

New Firefighter Joins the Department: Photo of the Day

Richard E. Sweeney was sworn in as a part-time firefighter/paramedic on Tuesday.

Richard E. Sweeney joined the Brecksville Fire Department as a part-time firefighter/paramedic on Tuesday during the City Council meeting. Mayor Jerry N. Hruby said the Brecksville resident has “great credentials,” adding that it’s good to have him with the department. Sweeney’s appointment brings the department to 26 part-time firefighters, Chief Ed Egut said. The department has 15 full-time firefighters, including Egut.

• Photos (1)

Update: Early Morning Rescue in Brecksville

The extent of the man’s injuries is not known at this time.

Update, 3:04 p.m. Police Chief Richard E. Mannarino said the 20-year-old Brecksville man who fell into a ravine near the Chippewa Creek earlier this morning had been drinking with friends before his fall. Police responded to a 911 call shortly after 6 a.m., Mannarino said. The police found the man at the bottom of a cliff in obvious pain. The drop was about 15 feet, and the Fire Department was called to get him out of the ravine. The man and his friends had been drinking before the fall—Mannarino said police found empty beer bottles and an empty champagne bottle along with a bonfire. His friends had tried to pull him out of the ravine themselves, but the man was in too much pain. When the fire department got him out, he was conscious and …

• Photos (1)

Tea Party Express Visits Brecksville, Teachers Share Contract Concerns and a Fire Breaks Out in the Park: Week in Review

Catch up on the news this week in Brecksville.

Miss a story or two this week? Catch up quickly by reading the stories below:

• Photos (1)

Fire in the National Park Suspicious, Fire Chief Says

It’s not yet known how the fire began.

The Brecksville Fire Department responded to a fire in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park late Wednesday night. Fire Chief Ed Egut said the fire in a parked train car looks a bit suspicious, but the department didn’t find any accelerants nearby. Mary Pat Doorley, public affairs officer for the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, said the park does plan to investigate the incident with the help of the Brecksville Fire Department. A driver alerted the department to the fire at 11:45 p.m. on Wednesday—Egut said the flames were visible from Vaughn Road, even though the fire was about 600 feet away. The department—along with the help of the Richfield and Valley View fire departments—had to haul water to the fire, because there was none at the scene. …

• Photos (1)

City Council Appoints New Part-Time Firefighter

The department uses part-time firefighters to support its full-time staff in emergencies.

The Brecksville Fire Department brought another part-time firefighter onboard during Tuesday’s City Council meeting. Kenneth R. Werstak Jr. was appointed a part-time firefighter and paramedic. That hiring brought the department up to about 25 part-time firefighters in Brecksville, said Fire Chief Ed Egut. There are 15 full-time firefighters, including the chief. Part-time firefighters earn an hourly rate, depending on certification and whether the call is an emergency. They are used to help fill in for the full-time staff and to supplement the staff during an emergency. If part-time firefighters live in town, they must be certified as EMTs, Egut said. That ensures that the part-time staff who can get to disaster and fire calls quickly has …

• Photos (1)

Snowy Streets, Frozen Pipes and Crackling Fireplaces: Tips for Staying Safe This Winter

The snow and cold weather is supposed to return later this week.

The weather’s supposed to stay unseasonably warm on Wednesday, but that’s all expected to change by Thursday. The National Weather Service is predicting a switch from rain showers to snow starting Thursday afternoon—and those temperatures are expected to drop later this week. If winter decides to stick around this time, you’ll want to be prepared. Here are a few tips for keeping your home safe from Brecksville Fire Lt. Patrick Coleman: The Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness has some good tips on its website for getting your family ready for winter storms, including suggested supplies for a disaster kit. And if you want a refresher for driving in the snow, check out this article. What tips would you add? Tell us in the comments!

• Photos (1)

Brecksville Program Helps Young Adults Get Hands-On Emergency and Fire Training

Brecksville Explorer Post 890 works with the fire department.